


In a Heartbeat

by InkyKinky



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Clubbing, Communication, Dancing, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, Femslash, First Dates, Gay Bar, Gay Keith (Voltron), Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Genderbending, Girls Kissing, Grinding, Kissing, Lesbian Keith (Voltron), Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, Nonbinary Pidge | Katie Holt, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Rule 63, Slow Burn, fem!Hunk (Voltron) - Freeform, fem!Keith (Voltron) - Freeform, fem!Lance (Voltron), girl love, includes minor Hunk/Shay and Shiro/Allura, klance, m!Allura (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2018-12-06 01:52:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11590536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkyKinky/pseuds/InkyKinky
Summary: “Hey, now! Don’t pull that face! I just want the best for my big girl!” It wasn’t like Lacie felt a little bit insulted, but she did. “Listen: This Friday you will bring her over for dinner, do your kitchen magic while I head out for the night because I can’t stand that much sugary sweetness in one place, dress in that gorgeous jumpsuit and then seduce her while Hozier plays in the background. Simple as that.”Things that Lacie McClain did not consider: She had to spend that night with Keira Kogane in order to keep her best friend's date running.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so that there are no confusions:  
> Lacie = fem!Lance  
> Keira = fem!Keith  
> Hunk = fem!Hunk  
> Al = m!Allura
> 
> Shiro, Pidge and Shay stayed the same. Also I have no idea where I'm heading with this. Have fun!  
> Also, before anyone tells me it's technically "underage drinking": not everyone lives in the US, my friend. Thank you.
> 
> P.S.: it's not beta-read yet :P beware of typos!

Lacie had no problem with Keira. No. Absolutely not.

But Keira simply did not possess any right to look still fucking stunning while not having showered for, like, a week, which was incredibly gross in first place. She probably had never heard of anything like make-up or skin-care (or a brush) but somehow this didn’t affect anyone into thinking she was tomboy-ish because heck, she had an incredibly beautiful face and was surprisingly pimple-less. And to Lacie’s demise less flat-chested than her, and Lacie was sure that if the guys in their class weren’t constantly afraid of being stabbed by Keira, Lacie probably would be the only single lady in their semester. It kind of sucked that currently, no-one was piquing her interest (well, except for Al who was in a very happy relationship with Shiro and it was frustrating), because the single life somehow didn’t have the perks that Lacie remembered.

Sometimes Lacy also wasn’t sure whether Keira just forgot to put a bra on, or that she did it on purpose, just to drive her extra wild. Not that Keira should need to wear a bra, who was Lacy, the fashion police? No, it was just … so damn distracting. Really, she tried but she couldn’t look away. Because she would think about how these wobbly globes of squishiness would feel in her hand and – nope, not going there.

Lacie knew for a fact that Keira owned at least a sports bra that fit her like a glove (hehe, glove, just like those fingerless biker gloves Keira apparently wears during every hour of the day) because she showed off her incredibly fit body in said sports bra and yoga pants whenever Lacie crossed her kick-boxing session in the campus gym. Lacy hated to admit that this was basically the reason why she regularly ran late to her swimming practice, but it’s not like that wasn’t the case with basically any of the dudes that passed her, either.

No, Lacie really didn’t have a problem with Keira, but Keira obviously had one with her.

She sighed wistfully and turned her head to look up to Hunk, who let Lacie’s head rest generously on her lap while she longingly glanced at Shay, the purest cinnamon bun that ever existed. It was gross and sickeningly sweet, so Lacie turned back on her side to think about Keira again.

Keira, Lacie was very positive, hated her guts. At their first week at uni, she pretended not to recognise her from the entrance exams, which was totally stupid because Lacie was a blabbermouth and was pretty sure was the only one Keira had talked to that day. Or, rather the other way around, she had been the only one who talked to Keira.

Because, Lacie realised, Keira, if talked to, rarely gave anything else but one-word answers or snarky comments. It really was like pulling teeth, but back then she thought it might just be the exam stress. But gosh, it was a permanent setting. If it wasn’t about class, she didn’t see Keira talk more than a few sentences to anyone, and she always was sure to leave as soon as the lecture ended if she didn’t need to talk to the prof. Except for the gym, Lacie also had never seen her with anyone else, like hanging with friends or something stupid like this. What was up with that girl? Did she even have friends?

Surprisingly, Lacie thought about this a lot. It was kind of sad that she was so friendless, especially in a phase like now, you usually made friends for life. On the other hand, she also couldn’t rule out that Keira secretly ran a drug ring, so there was that.

“Do you think Shay likes cupcakes?” Hunk asked, tearing Lacie out of her little Keira-induced thought bubble.

“Hunk, really?” Lacie deadpanned at her best friend, “Who doesn’t like cupcakes? Just bake her a batch and you’ll be married for life.” Lacie knew she sounded a bit harsher than Hunk ever could deserve, but anything for her gal to finally take the lead. “It’s about time you ask her out, before someone from the rock people snatch her away.”

“Stop calling them rock people, they’re geologists,” Hunk tried to defend her crush’s friends, but she didn’t kick Lacie off her lap, so it wasn’t too bad. To provoke her further, Lacie poked her finger into Hunk’s thigh.

“But, will you ask her out? For real? Like hiding a slip of paper in a cupcake would be cute.”

Hunk hummed at that, it was passive enough and she wouldn’t need to face Shay immediately, but Lacie gave it some more thought.

“But as I know Shay, she would share her cupcake before she would consider eating it herself, so, maybe you should ask her directly.”

Hunk huffed at that.

“And how exactly? You know, the last five times I tried it worked out _great_ , she didn’t even realise we were on a date!”

“Baby-steps, big girl. Maybe take her for dinner next time, just the two of you without the rest of the volleyball crew attached. Serenade her. Woo the girl chick-flick-like, she impossibly can misunderstand that!” Lacie grinned at her. “I even might be considerate enough to clear out the entire flat so you, my friend, can finally get laid. Throw in the rose petals and stuff.”

Hunk groaned. Lacie had to sit up quickly so she wouldn’t get elbowed as Hunk threw her face into her hands.

“Hey, now! Don’t pull that face! I just want the best for my big girl!” It wasn’t like Lacie felt a little bit insulted, but she did. “Listen: This Friday you will bring her over for dinner, do your kitchen magic while I head out for the night because I can’t stand that much sugary sweetness in one place, dress in that gorgeous jumpsuit and then seduce her while Hozier plays in the background. Simple as that.”

“Lacie, you know it’s easier said than done.”

“Bullshit. Just text her that you have a new recipe you need to test and that she should be the first to try and that we only have space for one other person that night so she won’t accidentally bring her friends. Also, I will tastetest the recipe beforehand on our practice dinner so it won’t ruin the mood.”

“Oh, you could’ve just told me that you want to bribe some fancy food out of me without any real occasion.”

“Hunk, my girl, this is an important matter, we can’t put your happiness on stake because of some weird online recipe!” Lacie knew she was being dramatic, but that was all on purpose.

Hunk sighed.

“Okay, so, if we – hypothetically – have that date, what will you be doing all night? Pidge is at their family over the weekend.”

“I’m pretty sure I can pester either Nyma or Al enough that they take me clubbing and have me stay the night. Don’t worry about that tiny detail, my friend.”

 

In the end, at least Lacie should have worried about that tiny detail, she realised.

The date preparations went on smoothly so far, even though Lacie eventually had to text Shay the invitation because Hunk was being a scaredy cat again and backspacing for hours on end. Right now, the food was cooking on the stove, Hunk and Lacie’s outfits settled for the night, Shay was twenty minutes away and Lacie on her way to Al’s place with her sleepover bag under her arm.

But yes, when she ringed the bell at the fancy apartment complex where Al lived, she realised she should have given it more detail, because when she looked at the person who had just opened the apartment door, she might just have an heart attack.

“Oh. Hi.”

Lacie stared.

“Come in.” Keira seemed a bit impatient, but really, Lacie could not _not_ stare. Keira Kogane in make-up was one thing, but in a fucking black catsuit was an _entirely_ different level.

“Listen, do you want to come in or not?”

“I, uh, yes.” It really didn’t help that her voice was cracking audibly. Colour was creeping into Lacie’s actually pretty brown cheeks that hopefully would cover for her but she wasn’t really sure about that.

“Al, McClain is here!” Keira yelled through the apartment while she headed in the open kitchen-and-living room place to snatch one of the sandwiches and stuffing her mouth with it. Lacie gulped.

“Ah, Lacie, so happy you came!” Al was heading out of the bedroom with a bright smile, ignoring Keira’s uncultivated way of eating a sandwich and gave Lacie a quick hug, then grabbing for her arm and dragging her towards a room Lacie surprisingly hadn’t been to yet.

“You can put your things here, Keira won’t mind having you sleep here.”

Lacie almost chocked on her spit.

“We would head out in, let’s say a quarter, if you want something to eat, Shiro made sandwiches.” With a wink, he left her alone in – oh well, apparently it was Keira’s room.

Okay wait. Since when did Keira live here, why had Lacie never noticed when she was around, and why the heck would she sleep in the same room as Keira – seeing as Lacie wouldn’t be too surprised to actually get stabbed in her sleep.

Lacie’s eyes roamed the room curiously. It didn’t have much furniture to start with – a bed, a desk, a chair, a rather worn-out couch, a drawer, and a bookshelf. The books were mainly about astrophysics and engineering, at least half of them Lacie owned herself, the others seemed to be thrillers, science-fiction and some supernatural stuff. On top of the shelf stood an old, dusty Voltron action figure, together with all seasons of Star Trek Voyager on DVD. What a nerd.

“Do you want to sleep in my bed? I can take the couch, it’s not as comfortable, so, uh … your choice.”

Lacie turned around to Keira, who obviously finished eating her sandwich and now leaned against the door frame, fidgeting with her fingerless gloves.

Was she being … nice?

Her eyes were intense, and Jesus, how could winged eyeliner make her look even more drop-dead gorgeous and at the same time also more intimidating.

Lacie blinked.

“Couch,” she more choked out than said, dropping her bag onto said seating opportunity and herself right with it, starting to search in her bag for shoes and her purse.

“Okay.” Keira bit onto her lip and walked away, presumably stuffing her face with another sandwich or something.

When Lacie had sorted all her things, she stalked out of the room and switching off the light. She really needed to get back into the swing of high heels, she hadn’t been partying in ages. Contrary to Lacie’s believe, Keira wasn’t the one who was stuffing her face with yet another sandwich, but Shiro and Al were sitting at the counter, feeding each other what seemed to be a dissected sandwich. A quick glance to Keira told Lacie she was just as disgusted as she was.

Keira cleared her throat and Shiro snapped out of his couple zone.

“You ready?” she asked with a pulled eyebrow, the two boys shuffling under her stare to grab their keys and respective jackets, and they headed out.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She was really short from punching Lacie’s face but at the same time _she had her hands on her body._ She was directly behind her and Keira really had trouble not just simply melting against her with her warm breath on her skin and _oh god she was so gay and so wet and it was so stupid._ But way too soon, Lacie took her hands away again.
> 
> “Sorry, I forgot you’re not into the physical affection kinda thing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't be confused that the beginning seems familiar, I re-wrote the second chaper (the original is now the last chapter AKA Alternate Ending) so I can actually make it the slow-burn fic it was actually supposed to be.
> 
> This chapter is kinda angsty and features alcohol consumption (and cute piggy-back rides) with a lot (A LOT) of miscommunication, so I hope you still can enjoy this chapter of my girls being gay for each other..?

Keira wasn’t sure how exactly Al and Shiro’s plan was supposed to work. She was positive that Lacie hated her guts, and she was not even sure why. Okay, not really, it probably was because she was basically freezing as soon as Lacie as much as tried to talk to her and ended up spluttering something terribly blunt out because her brain circuited. She basically hated herself for it, too, even if some silly love advices said playing hard to get was the way to your destined’s heart. Only because it worked on TV, it didn’t automatically mean it’d work in real life, and technically she knew this, but somehow … well, it didn’t make her defensive mechanisms work any less like that.

Keira trotted behind the two boys together with Lacie, who somehow walked in her heels like a goddess and making Keira feel more gay by every second. The only silver linings were that she apparently felt like intruding Shiro and Al’s couple-y sphere as well and didn’t feel the need to talk to her either. Keira was really glad for it because she had to really focus staying on her own feet. Her shoes were probably much more comfortable than Lacie’s, as they had a thick heel and basically were like her combat boots, but she really wasn’t used to the height it gave her.

The bar was only a short walk away, but it still were some minutes that Shiro and Al were chattering in front of them as though the two girls didn’t even exist.

“You gotta swing your hips a bit more. It makes it easier.”

Keira turned her head way too quickly that she almost lost balance.

“Are you telling me how to walk, McClain?” she snapped as she already felt her ears heating up. Lacie looked surprised and, probably very justified, a bit angry.

“Just a sisterly advice, you know? It doesn’t seem like you walk in heels a lot. It needs to get a while to get into the literal swing of it. Look, like that.” Lacie made a show of her swivelling hips. How on earth was that fair, and with that short skirt, too.

Keira hated how flustered she was around Lacie, and how it got worse by every second she spent watching her move. The other girl turned around and pulled an eyebrow as she saw Keira just standing there, frozen in place. She seemed amused.

“Well, that’s not how this works,” she smirked. Keira hated how smug she was about simply walking in stilettos. _What the fuck. Was this so essential to womanhood?_ She angrily stalked towards Lacie who now was trying to contain her laughter.

“So Kogane the Great actually struggles with something for once.”

Keira really was close to punching her.

“Well, heels are in no way for natural walking.” She made an extra point of rolling her eyes.

“Why are you even wearing heels, then? Nobody requires you to,” Lacie asked, sounding almost genuinely curious at that.

Keira pressed her lips in a tight line. _Well._

“They look good on me.” She paused. “I think.”

“Since when do you care about your looks anyway?”

“Since when – What the hell, Lacie?”

“Oh, so the whole ‘I just fell out of bed’ look is actually carefully put together?”

Keira hated how red she now was.

“How is that even important? I care for my looks when I think it’s important, yes. Just uni isn’t the place for it, you know? Not everyone has the space of mind and time to always look like a fucking supermodel like you!”

Keira knew she had the tendency to literally headbutting people when she got angry, but as soon as her little rant was over, the realisation hit her hard how close she was to Lacie, and what she just spilled to that one person she didn’t really want to tell it. Oh well, there goes her dignity.

Lacie cough.

“Soooo… you think I look like a supermodel, huh?”

Keira really didn’t know how to react to the smug face Lacie was pulling right now. _Was she flirting? Was she just appreciating getting a compliment out of her? How did this girl get so much under her skin?!_

“No worries, Master of Good Looks, Lacie McClain, can help you out if you just ask kindly, no need to be so aggressive about this.”

“This is not what I meant! You are twisting my words!”

“Oh, what did you mean then?” If it was even possible, Lacie’s smug grin spread even wider, and Keira gulped as the other girl leaned in towards her.

“Never mind,” she mumbled and turned away to keep up with the boys who had already walked a considerable distance.

“Girl, this really isn’t how you should walk in heels. Wait a second.”

And before Keira could protest, she felt hands on her hips, slightly shoving them with every movement.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She was really short from punching Lacie’s face but at the same time _she had her hands on her body._ She was directly behind her and Keira really had trouble not just simply melting against her with her warm breath on her skin and _oh god she was so gay and so wet and it was so stupid._ But way too soon, Lacie took her hands away again.

“Sorry, I forgot you’re not into the physical affection kinda thing.”

Keira stared at her. She was close to shouting at her what gave her that idea because gosh, was this girl wrong, but on the other hand … this was a sincere apology.

“I just … don’t like it when it surprises me, I guess. Just give me a warning next time.”

“Oh wow, Keira Kogane lets me touch her,” Lacie mumbled, and Keira wasn’t sure whether it was actually meant for her ears, but it didn’t make her any less flustered.

“Hey, I let people touch me all the time! Shiro gives me noogies constantly!” Though, she probably agreed it wasn’t the best kind of touch you could get out of people. Hugs were also kind of awkward.

“Oh yeah, I would let Shiro do anything to me, too, if I were honest. Look at those arms. They are otherworldly.” Lacie watched the two boys in front of them dreamily. It made Keira somewhat sick, and she hated it.

 _Oh yeah_ , she thought wistfully, _Lacie is straight as a board._

“Shiro is like a brother to me, it’s definitely not like that. Also, there is still Al, mind you.”

Just then she noticed that she unconsciously had kept moving with the swing in her hips and, unsurprisingly, Lacie had been right that it was much easier to walk that way.

“But like, have you never even considered it?”

“No, why would I? They are guys after all.”

She felt Lacie stop in her walks.

“Wait a second. What?!”

 _Oh gosh no._ Keira cringed at herself. This wasn’t supposed how this night should’ve gone. _Yes,_ somehow coming out to Lacie was part of Al and Shiro’s plan but Keira was pretty sure this wasn’t really well done. Especially not with the reaction. She dreaded looking at her.

“Suddenly, everything makes sense…” Lacie sounded as though something finally dawned to her. Keira dared a short glance. “So you’re like that really bad-ass butch lesbian!”

“Uh, if you say so…” This wasn’t exactly bad but it wasn’t ideal either. Of course it was better than Lacie freaking out about it. And yes, Keira enjoyed kickboxing a lot together with the muscles that came with it but she didn’t consider herself as exactly “butch” – she actually was proud that she got some curves, and tonight she actually felt _pretty_ for once. She had put so much effort into her outfit, apparently for naught.

“So, where’s your lucky girlfriend, then? Not partying with us?” Lacie did this eyebrow-waggle again.

“I’m single, McClain,” Keira deadpanned.

“Gonna woo some girl tonight? That why you got some heels?” That look on Lacie was kind of irritating. _Was she being flirty?_

“What about you, though? Is that skirt even legal?” _Was that even a good comeback?_ Keira wasn’t so sure.

“What about my skirt?! It’s the perfect cloth to leg ratio, thank you very much!”

_Oh, so Lacie could be smug about her outfit but Keira couldn’t?! Very fine._

“The guys will be all over you like dogs in heat. Just a small heads up.” Did she sound bitter? Probably. Did she mind? Not exactly.

“Oh please, if we go to a gay bar I pretty sure won’t hit guys up. The ladies gonna get all my attention tonight. Plus my flatmate’s soon-to-be girlfriend’s brother works there and can give us a discount.”

“You’re joking, right?”

“No, despite Rax being an ass most of the time, he actually is giving us a discount. He’s just really protective of his sister.”

“No, I mean, you’re into girls? Why?”

“Are you fucking _kidding_ me? You’re the lesbian here, why should I be _not_ into girls?!”

“Because you’re always talking about dudes!”

“Is this mutually exclusive now?”

“No! I just!” Keira tried to focus. “I was surprised? I…” _Well, what exactly now? ‘Didn’t dare to hope’? ‘It would have been a halfway bearable rejection if you were straight’? ‘I’m so terribly in love with you it hurts and the only thing keeping me from doing something stupid was believing you were not into girls’?_

“We probably should find you a girlfriend tonight, grumpypants. Maybe you’ll be more docile in a relationship.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“My girl, my pal,” Lacie started, throwing her arm around Keira’s shoulder as though she was providing some parental advice, “I believe under the very grumpy shell of yours, there is a soft, goo-y core, and someone just needs to break through to your tsundere heart to reveal it.”

If that was the case, she really didn’t want to be in a relationship, thank you very much.

On the other hand, Lacie’s arm around her felt very nice, it was just the right height difference that it was comfortable, and Keira was internally screaming. _Somebody come and save her very gay ass._

“Why are you like that.”

“I just like to help a sister in need,” Lacie revealed. She patted Keira’s shoulder before she tore herself from the half-embrace. “Look, we’re almost there! About time, to be honest, I’m not sure if I can still feel my feet.”

Keira rolled her eyes at that, and they followed the boys inside.

 

The bar was more crowded than Keira had expected, but then again it was a Friday night, the day most people were out, even the gay. It was loud, hot, and sticky, and Keira was reminded of why exactly she barely went out.

Shiro nodded into the direction of a booth that just got cleaned after the previous patrons left, and they stumbled their way towards the seats. Lacie let out a sight as she fell down onto the bench right next to Keira, who, truth be told, was also glad to finally sit again. Just the physical closeness was a bit too much for her right now.

Shiro offered to pay for the first round of drinks, Al asking for a glass of wine, Keira for Guiness, and Lacie buried her head in the cocktail card because she hadn’t decided yet before leaving together with Shiro because of the discount.

“So, how is it going?” Al leaned over the table to interrogate Keira.

“Terribly.”

“But you talked so much on our way here!” he exclaimed enthusiastically.

“But she now thinks I’m even more a douche than before!”

“Maybe go ask her for a dance, that might be easier. You are more of a doer than a talker anyway.”

“I’m terrible at dancing!”

“Lacie is not.” Al was glancing at Lacie, who was now trying to wave down the bartender.

“She wouldn’t even want to dance with me in first place.”

“Oh believe me, she would never leave out a chance on a dance.”

“She wants to find me a girlfriend so I’m less anti-social, Al. She wants to _wing-man_ for me, not date me, there’s a difference!”

Al sighed.

“Why are you always trying so hard to make it seem impossible that she likes you back? If you put at least half the effort of that into actually pursuing her, you would’ve probably been much happier for over a year now.”

“We are not you and Shiro. It’s complicated.”

“Of course it’s gonna be complicated if you act like you can’t stand her 99 percent of the time!”

“It’s because she’s making it so fucking hard all the damn time! I don’t know how to act around her nicely without showing my feelings!”

“Isn’t that the entire point of it?” Al looked kind of tired. Keira couldn’t even be angry at that, she was tired of this bullshit, too.

“I–”

But Keira couldn’t even really start the sentence since Shiro and Lacie had returned with the drinks in hand. Keira thanked Lacie as the latter slit the beer towards her, and tried to calm her heart as she sat back down next to her.

“I hope there is enough alcohol in this because I would hate to need to wait another drink until I’m ready to dance. These heels are killing me.”

“I told you, heels are unnatural.”

“You also said you picked heels because they look good on you,” Lacie shot back, taking an enormously gulp from her turquoise cocktail.

Keira shook off her leather jacket before she took a sip of her beer, just so she didn’t say something she might regret later. It was a refreshment beyond measure.

“Also, there was a really cute girl at the bar, think I’m gonna leave for a bit to get her on the dance floor.”

Keira’s stomach dropped to the ground.

“How are you even doing this?” she asked, trying to resist the urge to either stare Lacie down, or look for said cute girl at the bar she was having a jealous fit over.

“It’s ‘talking to people nicely,’ Keira. You should try it, too, sometime.”

How Keira wanted to punch (or kiss) this stupid smug grin off her face.

“I think she had a friend with her who is also gay, so maybe you could hit it off with her? Just trying to get lucky tonight?”

“I’m fine for tonight, but thank you,” Keira mumbled, dedicated all her attention to her beer and not to where their thighs pressed together or Lacie’s arm brushed her shoulder.

After that, Lacie shut up for the most of it as she was busy downing her drink through a straw, and as soon as she was done, she made her way back to the bar. Keira followed her with her eyes, watching as she talked up a tall girl, probably a model too, and dragged her onto the dance floor.

“Awww… Keira, stop looking like a kicked puppy! She won’t dance with her forever.” Al’s forever positive outlook on life was truly marvellous. Shiro nodded at his boyfriend’s words.

“But what if she does? Have you seen her? That’s the type of girl she’s made for, easy to talk to, friendly, and in her league of perfection.”

“You look stunning, darling, you know?” Al tried to cheer her up.

“She called me a ‘bad-ass butch lesbian’, though.” And there she was, being bitter again.

“Lacie says a lot of things that she doesn’t mean in a bad way. Don’t take it so much to heart,” Shiro now supplied, “you didn’t talk to her much in first place, maybe you just need time to get used to it?”

Keira sighed.

“I mean the both of you. Lacie probably needs to learn how to talk to you, too. It’s a give and take –”

“Could you both please just shut up for a second! I know you’re in a happy, healthy relationship, but you don’t need to rub it into my face 99 percent of the time!” Keira didn’t even know if she was angry at them, probably more at herself, really. It just was too much for now, it was Al and Shiro’s idea to get into Lacie’s panties within one night in first place.

“I think we’ll go dance for a bit,” Al said, slipping out of the booth, followed by Shiro. Keira tried to ignore them and instead focussed on her beer again.

Why was this all so difficult? Everyone, freaking _everyone_ could chat up someone. It wasn’t hard. She didn’t know of anyone over eighteen who never had been in a relationship, even among the gay community, and it was so damn frustrating.

Then, the concept that someone liked her well enough to … wanting to do things with her was so wild? And that someone being someone _she_ actually liked, too, was pretty much utopic. She didn’t know how to deal with this. This wasn’t rocket science, this was _people_ science, and she very much sucked at this royally.

“Why can’t I be like everyone else?” she muttered and stared at the bottom of her now empty beer glass. She was about to cry out of frustration until she remembered where she was and that she was wearing three hours worth of eyeliner. So she refrained and instead bit her lip.

After another ten minutes of pouting, Keira decided to get another drink, against her better judgement even with a lot more alcohol than her first. She stumbled up to the bar, pointedly ignoring her brother-figure grinding against his boyfriend in a dark corner, and ordered a zombie.

 _Yes,_ this probably wasn’t the best decision, but at least this bad idea was going to taste _great_. She was tempted to order a shot of Jägermeister for good measure, but really, the night was young.

Back in the booth, she started people-watching again, mainly as excuse to mindlessly slurp down the cocktail while watching her crush getting it on with this other model-type girl and quickly looking away whenever Lacie made attempts to look her way.

Oh well.

She was nibbling at her straw when Lacie and her conquest made their way over to their booth, and Keira felt a lump forming in her throat. Lacie looked so happy, exhausted but happy with the other girl in tow, who was radiating as well.

“Soooo Miss Grumpy-Pants, why are you sitting here all alone, shouldn’t you, like, dance or something?”

“I have a drink, mind you,” Keira muttered and attempted to cross her arms in front of her chest, which she, once again, was reminded to prove difficult. _Fuck boobs, really._ After struggling with a comfortable arm position, she pointedly sucked at her straw with a sour expression instead.

“Guess Florona and I will get one, too, right?” Lacie looked at the girl – Florona, apparently – with enamoured eyes. Florona just nodded wordlessly. With this, the two stalked towards the bar and waved down one of the bartenders. Keira was just about to wallow in self-pity again as they re-emerged and sat down across from her, two colourful cocktails in front of them.

“Okay, so Lacie told me you were looking for a girlfriend?” Florona (really, what kind of hippie name was that?) asked with her too-sweet smile.

“Huh?”

Keira had trouble to not choke on her drink. _Lacie had been talking about her? Why?_ She, once again, could feel heat creep into her cheeks. Lacie already eyed her strangely, obviously dissatisfied with her lack of reply.

“Oh, uh, … kind of, I guess? But, like, not really.” Keira hated how she stumbled over such a simple answer. Lacie pulled one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows.

“Heels?” she grinned like the cat that got the cream, so insufferably _smug_ that Keira puffed her cheeks. She couldn’t believe they already got some kind of insider.

“Shut up, McClain,” Keira mumbled through her pout.

“You’re right, she _is_ cute,” Florona said to Lacie in some kind of stage whisper that Keira definitely _did_ hear. She pretty much felt like a kitten whose threat wasn’t taken seriously. What the fuck, Lacie?!

“Maybe Plaxum might be interested?” Florona continued.

“Hey! I said I’m not looking!”

Florona stared at Keira as though she had grown a second head.

“Plax is really sweet once you get to know her –”

“But I don’t want to get to know her!” Keira was shocked by her own kneejerk reaction of an outburst, but you simply couldn’t put words back into your mouth and make them unsaid.

“Keira, what the fuck is wrong with you?” Lacie looked something between terrified, offended, and something Keira just couldn’t put her finger on. She already felt guilty, and somehow that made her even more defensive.

“What the fuck is wrong with _you_ , McClain?! Did I ask you to play match-maker? No!” If Keira had been an old man, she probably would have popped a vein.

“I’m not playing match-maker! I thought I might just help a girl out, but obviously you’re just entirely incompetent with social anything that you’re actually just downright a huge asshole!” Lacie stood up, and really, Keira was just downright pissed right now. Did she ask for anything of this? No!

“At least I’m not priding myself with doing unwanted favours! Seriously, why can’t you just mind your own business and leave me alone? It’s my issue and I never asked for help!”

Lacie gasped in affront, and Keira didn’t even notice they were almost literally butting heads now.

“I guess I’m not needed here anymore. Thanks for the dance, anyway.” With this, Florona slid out of the booth, almost unnoticed by the two others.

“This is why we can’t have nice things,” Lacie muttered and let herself fall back on her seat with her arms crossed. Wow. Keira had never expected her to be this… petty. Truth be told, this probably was the longest time she’s ever spend in the presence of Lacie McClain, and somehow that was unnerving her. She didn’t know if she was more angry with Lacie or with herself. She felt so pathetic, and then there was her anger still simmering in the pit of her stomach.

“Why did you need to tell her about – this?” She sat back down with furrowed brows, her eyes avoiding Lacie by all means. Wow, she had forgotten how interesting her beer mat could be.

“How else could I get her ask a friend? Also, I somehow had to explain why you were staring at us so pissed, she thought you were my girlfriend or something.” Lacie snorted at that thought. “This sounds so stupid when you say it like that.”

 _Oh wow thanks._ Keira didn’t know how big this bruise on her ego could become.

“Maybe you should run after her. Those kinda girls are hard to find,” Keira muttered in defeat. Deep down she had always known that she wasn’t the type of girl Lacie McClain was looking for, and she hated Shiro and Al for ever getting her hopes up because ‘everybody deserves love and will find someone eventually.’ She desperately wanted to believe it because she craved it so much, but she wasn’t soft, she wasn’t calm, she wasn’t kind, she wasn’t warm and welcoming, or pretty. Instead, she was angry, and rough, so terribly blunt and ignorant, and everyone was scared that she’d leash out on them.

And, truth be told, being soft scared her.

Lacie should be with her model girlfriend, should drink ridiculously fancy cocktails in a jacuzzi while getting it on with Florona or whatever hippie name she had, delving in the luxury that was hot slow love-making.

“Why are you like this?” Lacie asked and tore Keira out of her train of thoughts. Keira blinked at her owlishly.

“Like what?”

“You were the one who chased her away in first place.” Lacie seemed a little pissed, but there was something else.

“Well, you seem to like her. And she’s pretty, and easy-going. She seemed to like you just fine with me out of the picture. We aren’t even friends so I have no idea how you even think that I’d matter in this whole equation. I knew you were stupid, McClain, but not _that_ stupid.”

“Well, for a second I thought we might become friends so your opinion would matter in the future, but apparently that’s not the case.”

“I didn’t know you wanted to become friends in first place. There is no reason to put up with me so get your fucking ass over to this flower girl and woo her into a date or get into her panties or whatever.”

“You’re really weird, Kogane.”

Keira rolled her eyes but Lacie actually pulled out of the booth again, dragging herself over to Florona and her friends. Keira wasn’t stupid enough to watch them any longer, instead she cleared the booth and made her way over to the bar. There was no way she could watch the dance floor from this spot.

Soon, she threw back her second shot, not really thinking about the tears she tried to swallow down with it. She forgot why exactly she wanted to cry, all she knew was the familiar dripping sadness, the loneliness that nested around her heart and liked to nibble at it to leave pitch-black holes, a void that she couldn’t fill fast enough. She couldn’t even say she was unhappy with her life because she fought so much just to stand where she stood now, she didn’t regret the way she had chosen one bit, it just felt that a major part of who she could be was missing, as though everyone else had something that she could just watch from afar, like she was hidden away behind tinted glass, a one-way mirror where she could watch but not understand, where nobody heard or saw her, or knew of her existence. She knew she was lacking, she knew and yet she still had to explain that she didn’t know how to do it right. There was no-one to walk her through it at her own pace, she only got thrown into the cold water and disappointed everyone because she couldn’t seem to learn how to swim. Sometimes she wondered if she would have become differently if she had grown up differently, if she could have become soft if her life had been different.

The loneliness and sadness were swelling and decreasing like the tide, and the more she felt the blanker her stare and the drier her eyes became. At some point it was so much, she didn’t feel anything at all.

“Please God, tell me you didn’t drink all six of these.”

It was Shiro, with Al in tow. Keira felt a little bit as though her own brain was full of cotton, everything was so slow and dragged as though she was wrapped up in molasses.

“Who are you, m’ dad?” Keira slurred, luckily not as much as she feared she would. She scrunched up her nose as she noticed the slightly fuzzy feeling on her tongue.

“Oh boy, I knew we shouldn’t have left her out of sight for so long,” Al sighed.

“Hey! I’m v-very mush adult! I can hand’ m’self!” Her anger felt very mellow, as though it had been washed thoroughly with fabric softener.

“Yeah, okay, can we get a glass of water, please?” Shiro addressed the bartender who nodded immediately. Al took a seat next to Keira.

“I take it didn’t go so well?” he asked, and Keira just huffed because – really – there wasn’t much else to say.

“Aww, c’mon, what happened?” Al cooed as Shiro shoved the glass of water into Keira’s face.

“We’re jus’ imcompable, tha’s all,” Keira said, more into the glass than to the two men.

“If you say so,” Shiro muttered.

“Yea I say s-so.”

“We wanted to leave soon, so drink your water while I get Lacie, she seemed a little under the weather as well.” Al was about to vanish to gather the other girl as Keira grabbed at his sleeve tightly.

“But di’ she get her phone nummer? She mus’ get ‘er phone nummer, Al, pleassse she nee’s t’ be happy, the flo’er girl makes ‘er happy, Al.”

“C’mon Keira,” Shiro said softly while freeing his boyfriend from her vice-like grip, “you can even get a piggy-back ride home.”

“Cool.”

Al chuckled and left.

Shiro made sure Keira could stand up and get her jacket on while gathering the rest.

“Come here, little girl,” he said as he lowered himself so Keira could climb on his back, which she eagerly did. Shiro, while very beefy, was also really soft at that, which made a wonderful pillow for the way home.

Keira didn’t remember much of their way home, it was mainly Lacie complaining how she didn’t get a piggy-back ride, too, between slipping in and out of a light slumber. She had forgotten how easily shots could knock her out.

“Hey there sleeping beauty, do you think you can walk the rest yourself?” Shiro nudged her softly awake, only a few metres away from their front door. Lacie was leaning against the wall with her shoes in her hands, obviously tired and sore, and Al fiddled with the key, which was harder than it seemed with the little light from the street lanterns.

Keira huffed something inaudible even to her own ears and slit down on her feet, struggling to find balance with her mind still sleepy and a lot of alcohol in her blood.

“I’ve got you.” Shiro wrapped his arm around her shoulder so she would stay up and not fall over like a potato sack. It felt a bit awkward, especially with the weird look Lacie was casting their way, but they got upstairs without anyone toppling over. The first thing Keira did as they entered their apartment was discarding her shoes. However pretty they were, even the best high-heels were hell after a couple of hours. Keira groaned in bliss and satisfaction as her socked feet hit the ground again. With a loud clonk, Lacie let her own shoes drop as well, as nobody seemed bothered by various pairs of shoes flying around in the entry hall. Shiro and Al retreated with no more than a nod, leaving the two girls alone once more.

Just when Keira was about to waddle into her room to plant herself head first into her giant pile of pillows, realisation hit her, hard.

“Uhm… do you … do you even wanna – with me?” she asked, so terribly timid and unsure of herself, because all she could see in Lacie’s face was “I’m so done with everyone’s shit right now, and especially yours, Keira Kogane.”

“Hm?”

Apparently, Lacie didn’t even register that Keira had talked to her.

“Do you … Are you okay to … sleep in the same room with me? I mean I was terrible and basically ruined your chances with this real hot chick, and – I guess I’ll just take the couch here? Then you have some space and don’t … don’t –”

“No, it’s – it’s cool, I’m just … tired.”

“Okay.”

Lacie nodded and made her way towards Keira’s room in silence.

“Okay,” Keira whispered to herself.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you won't need to wait for the next chapter too long!!
> 
> Thank you for everyone who's reading this very self-indulgent fanfic, kudos and comments always appreciated <3


	3. Alternate Ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what I originally wrote as ending but didn't plan on, so this is basically the not-so-slowburn alternate ending. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless. It would take place directly after Chapter 1.
> 
> Have over 5k of bickering. Enjoy!

Keira wasn’t sure how exactly Al and Shiro’s plan was supposed to work. She was positive that Lacie hated her guts, and she was not even sure why. Okay, not really, it probably was because she was basically freezing as soon as Lacie as much as tried to talk to her and ended up spluttering something terribly blunt out because her brain circuited. She basically hated herself for it, too, even if some silly love advices said playing hard to get was the way to your destined’s heart. Only because it worked on TV, it didn’t automatically mean it’d work in real life, and technically she knew this, but somehow … well, it didn’t make her defensive mechanisms work any less like that.

Keira trotted behind the two boys together with Lacie, who somehow walked in her heels like a goddess and making Keira feel more gay by every second. The only silver linings were that she apparently felt like intruding Shiro and Al’s couple-y sphere as well and didn’t feel the need to talk to her either. Keira was really glad for it because she had to really focus staying on her own feet. Her shoes were probably much more comfortable than Lacie’s, as they had a thick heel and basically were like her combat boots, but she really wasn’t used to the height it gave her.

The bar was only a short walk away, but it still were some minutes that Shiro and Al were chattering in front of them as though the two girls didn’t even exist.

“You gotta swing your hips a bit more. It makes it easier.”

Keira turned her head way too quickly that she almost lost balance.

“Are you telling me how to walk, McClain?” she snapped as she already felt her ears heating up. Lacie looked surprised and, probably very justified, a bit angry.

“Just a sisterly advice, you know? It doesn’t seem like you walk in heels a lot. It needs to get a while to get into the literal swing of it. Look, like that.” Lacie made a show of her swivelling hips. How on earth was that fair, and with that short skirt, too.

Keira hated how flustered she was around Lacie, and how it got worse by every second she spent watching her move. The other girl turned around and pulled an eyebrow as she saw Keira just standing there, frozen in place. She seemed amused.

“Well, that’s not how this works,” she smirked. Keira hated how smug she was about simply walking in stilettos. _What the fuck. Was this so essential to womanhood?_ She angrily stalked towards Lacie who now was trying to contain her laughter.

“So Kogane the Great actually struggles with something for once.”

Keira really was close to punching her.

“Well, heels are in no way for natural walking.” She made an extra point of rolling her eyes.

“Why are you even wearing heels, then? Nobody requires you to,” Lacie asked, sounding almost genuinely curious at that.

Keira pressed her lips in a tight line. _Well._

“They look good on me.” She paused. “I think.”

“Since when do you care about your looks anyway?”

“Since when – What the hell, Lacie?”

“Oh, so the whole ‘I just fell out of bed’ look is actually carefully put together?”

Keira hated how red she now was.

“How is that even important? I care for my looks when I think it’s important, yes. Just uni isn’t the place for it, you know? Not everyone has the space of mind and time to always look like a fucking supermodel like you!”

Keira knew she had the tendency to literally headbutting people when she got angry, but as soon as her little rant was over, the realisation hit her hard how close she was to Lacie, and what she just spilled to that one person she didn’t really want to tell it. Oh well, there goes her dignity.

Lacie cough.

“Soooo… you think I look like a supermodel, huh?”

Keira really didn’t know how to react to the smug face Lacie was pulling right now. _Was she flirting? Was she just appreciating getting a compliment out of her? How did this girl get so much under her skin?!_

“No worries, Master of Good Looks, Lacie McClain, can help you out if you just ask kindly, no need to be so aggressive about this.”

“This is not what I meant! You are twisting my words!”

“Oh, what did you mean then?” If it was even possible, Lacie’s smug grin spread even wider, and Keira gulped as the other girl leaned in towards her.

“Never mind,” she mumbled and turned away to keep up with the boys who had already walked a considerable distance.

“Girl, this really isn’t how you should walk in heels. Wait a second.”

And before Keira could protest, she felt hands on her hips, slightly shoving them with every movement.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She was really short from punching Lacie’s face but at the same time _she had her hands on her body._ She was directly behind her and Keira really had trouble not just simply melting against her with her warm breath on her skin and _oh god she was so gay and so wet and it was so stupid._ But way too soon, Lacie took her hands away again.

“Sorry, I forgot you’re not into the physical affection kinda thing.”

Keira stared at her. She was close to shouting at her what gave her that idea because gosh, was this girl wrong, but on the other hand … this was a sincere apology.

“I just … don’t like it when it surprises me, I guess. Just give me a warning next time.”

“Oh wow, Keira Kogane lets me touch her,” Lacie mumbled, and Keira wasn’t sure it was actually meant for her ears, but it didn’t make her any less flustered.

“Hey, I let people touch me all the time! Shiro gives me noogies constantly!” Though, she probably agreed it wasn’t the best kind of touch you could get out of people. Hugs were also kind of awkward.

“Oh yeah, I would let Shiro do anything to me, too, if I were honest. Look at those arms. They are otherworldly.” Lacie watched the two boys in front of them dreamily. It made Keira somewhat sick, and she hated it.

 _Oh yeah_ , she thought wistfully, _Lacie is straight as a board._

“Shiro is like a brother to me, it’s definitely not like that. Also, there is still Al, mind you.”

Just then she noticed that she unconsciously had kept moving with the swing in her hips and, unsurprisingly, Lacie had been right that it was much easier to walk that way.

“But like, have you never even considered it?”

“No, why would I? They are guys after all.”

She felt Lacie stop in her walks.

“Wait a second. What?!”

 _Oh gosh no._ Keira cringed at herself. This wasn’t supposed how this night should’ve gone. _Yes,_ somehow coming out to Lacie was part of Al and Shiro’s plan but Keira was pretty sure this wasn’t really well done. Especially not with the reaction. She dreaded looking at her.

“Suddenly, everything makes sense…” Lacie sounded as though something finally dawned to her. Keira dared a short glance. “So you’re like that really bad-ass butch lesbian!”

“Uh, if you say so…” This wasn’t exactly bad but it wasn’t ideal either. Of course it was better than Lacie freaking out about it. And yes, Keira enjoyed kickboxing a lot together with the muscles that came with it but she didn’t consider herself as exactly “butch” – she actually was proud that she got some curves, and tonight she actually felt _pretty_ for once. She had put so much effort into her outfit, apparently for naught.

“So, where’s your lucky girlfriend, then? Not partying with us?” Lacie did this eyebrow-waggle again.

“I’m single, McClain,” Keira deadpanned.

“Gonna woo some girl tonight? That why you got some heels?” That look on Lacie was kind of irritating. _Was she being flirty?_

“What about you, though? Is that skirt even legal?” _Was that even a good comeback?_ Keira wasn’t so sure.

“What about my skirt?! It’s the perfect cloth to leg ratio, thank you very much!”

_Oh, so Lacie could be smug about her outfit but Keira couldn’t?! Very fine._

“The guys will be all over you like dogs in heat. Just a small heads up.” Did she sound bitter? Probably. Did she mind? Not exactly.

“Oh please, if we go to a gay bar I pretty sure won’t hit guys up. The ladies gonna get all my attention tonight. Plus my flatmate’s soon-to-be girlfriend’s brother works there and can give us a discount.”

“You’re joking, right?”

“No, despite Rax being an ass most of the time, he actually is giving us a discount. He’s just really protective of his sister.”

“No, I mean, you’re into girls? Why?”

“Are you fucking _kidding_ me? You’re the lesbian here, why should I be _not_ into girls?!”

“Because you’re always talking about dudes!”

“Is this mutually exclusive now?”

“No! I just!” Keira tried to focus. “I was surprised? I…” _Well, what exactly now? ‘Didn’t dare to hope’? ‘It would have been a halfway bearable rejection if you were straight’? ‘I’m so terribly in love with you it hurts and the only thing keeping me from doing something stupid was believing you were not into girls’?_

“We probably should find you a girlfriend tonight, grumpypants. Maybe you’ll be more docile in a relationship.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“My girl, my pal,” Lacie started, throwing her arm around Keira’s shoulder as though she was providing some parental advice, “I believe under the very grumpy shell of yours, there is a soft, goo-y core, and someone just needs to break through to your tsundere heart to reveal it.”

If that was the case, she really didn’t want to be in a relationship, thank you very much.

On the other hand, Lacie’s arm around her felt very nice, it was just the right height difference that it was comfortable, and Keira was internally screaming. _Somebody come and save her very gay ass._

“Why are you like that.”

“I just like to help a sister in need,” Lacie revealed. She patted Keira’s shoulder before she tore herself from the half-embrace. “Look, we’re almost there! About time, to be honest, I’m not sure if I can still feel my feet.”

Keira rolled her eyes at that, and they followed the boys inside.

 

The bar was more crowded than Keira had expected, but then again it was a Friday night, the day most people were out, even the gay. It was loud, hot, and sticky, and Keira was reminded of why exactly she barely went out.

Shiro nodded into the direction of a booth that just got cleaned after the previous patrons left, and they stumbled their way towards the seats. Lacie let out a sight as she fell down onto the bench right next to Keira, who, truth be told, was also glad to finally sit again. Just the physical closeness was a bit too much for her right now.

Shiro offered to pay for the first round of drinks, Al asking for a glass of wine, Keira for Guiness, and Lacie buried her head in the cocktail card because she hadn’t decided yet before leaving together with Shiro because of the discount.

“So, how is it going?” Al leaned over the table to interrogate Keira.

“Terribly.”

“But you talked so much on our way here!” he exclaimed enthusiastically.

“But she now thinks I’m even more a douche than before!”

“Maybe go ask her for a dance, that might be easier. You are more of a doer than a talker anyway.”

“I’m terrible at dancing!”

“Lacie is not.” Al was glancing at Lacie, who was now trying to wave down the bartender.

“She wouldn’t even want to dance with me in first place.”

“Oh believe me, she would never leave out a chance on a dance.”

“She wants to find me a girlfriend so I’m less anti-social, Al. She wants to _wing-man_ for me, not date me, there’s a difference!”

Al sighed.

“Why are you always trying so hard to make it seem impossible that she likes you back? If you put at least half the effort of that into actually pursuing her, you would’ve probably been much happier for over a year now.”

“We are not you and Shiro. It’s complicated.”

“Of course it’s gonna be complicated if you act like you can’t stand her 99 percent of the time!”

“It’s because she’s making it so fucking hard all the damn time! I don’t know how to act around her nicely without showing my feelings!”

“Isn’t that the entire point of it?” Al looked kind of tired. Keira couldn’t even be angry at that, she was tired of this bullshit, too.

“I–”

But Keira couldn’t even really start the sentence since Shiro and Lacie had returned with the drinks in hand. Keira thanked Lacie as the latter slit the beer towards her, and tried to calm her heart as she sat back down next to her.

“I hope there is enough alcohol in this because I would hate to need to wait another drink until I’m ready to dance. These heels are killing me.”

“I told you, heels are unnatural.”

“You also said you picked heels because they look good at you,” Lacie shot back, taking an enormously gulp from her turquoise cocktail.

Keira shook off her leather jacket before she took a sip of her beer, just so she didn’t say something she might regret later. It was a refreshment beyond measure.

“Also, there was a really cute girl at the bar, think I’m gonna leave for a bit to get her on the dance floor.”

Keira’s stomach dropped to the ground.

“How are you even doing this?” she asked, trying to resist the urge to either stare Lacie down, or look for said cute girl at the bar she was having a jealous fit over.

“It’s talking ‘talking to people nicely,’ Keira. You should try it, too, sometime.”

How Keira wanted to punch (or kiss) this stupid smug grin off her face.

“I think she had a friend with her who is also gay, so maybe you could hit it off with her? Just trying to get lucky tonight?”

“I’m fine for tonight, but thank you,” Keira mumbled, dedicated all her attention to her beer and not to where their thighs pressed together or Lacie’s arm brushed her shoulder.

After that, Lacie shut up for the most of it as she was busy downing her drink through a straw, and as soon as she was done, she made her way back to the bar. Keira followed her with her eyes, watching as she talked up a tall girl, probably a model too, and dragged her onto the dance floor.

“Awww… Keira, stop looking like a kicked puppy! She won’t dance with her forever.” Al’s forever positive outlook on life was truly marvellous. Shiro nodded at his boyfriend’s words.

“But what if she does? Have you seen her? That’s the type of girl she’s made for, easy to talk to, friendly, and in her league of perfection.”

“You look stunning, darling, you know?” Al tried to cheer her up.

“She called me a ‘bad-ass butch lesbian’, though.” And there she was, being bitter again.

“Lacie says a lot of things that she doesn’t mean in a bad way. Don’t take it so much to heart,” Shiro now supplied, “you didn’t talk to her much in first place, maybe you just need time to get used to it?”

Keira sighed.

“I mean the both of you. Lacie probably needs to learn how to talk to you, too. It’s a give and take –”

“Could you both please just shut up for a second! I know you’re in a happy, healthy relationship, but you don’t need to rub it into my face 99 percent of the time!” Keira didn’t even know if she was angry at them, probably more at herself, really. It just was too much for now, it was Al and Shiro’s idea to get into Lacie’s panties within one night in first place.

“I think we’ll go dance for a bit,” Al said, slipping out of the booth, followed by Shiro. Keira tried to ignore them and instead focussed on her beer again.

Why was this all so difficult? Everyone, freaking _everyone_ could chat up someone. It wasn’t hard. She didn’t know of anyone over eighteen who never had been in a relationship, even among the gay community, and it was so damn frustrating.

Then, the concept that someone liked her well enough to … wanting to do things with her was so wild? And that someone being someone _she_ actually liked, too, was pretty much utopic. She didn’t know how to deal with this. This wasn’t rocket science, this was _people_ science, and she very much sucked at this royally.

“Why can’t I be like everyone else?” she muttered and stared at the bottom of her now empty beer glass.

“Hey, you alright there?”

Keira jumped as Lacie leaned over the table, looking something like … concerned? How so? The tall girl was waiting next to her. Up close she looked even more pretty and terribly sweet. _Oh dear._

“I’m … alright.”

“Where are Al and Shiro by the way?”

“They went dancing,” Keira said as neutral as she could.

“Sorry, Luxia, could you give us a sec?”

The girl, Luxia, sighed but nodded, and went back to the bar.

“You really don’t have to–”

“Nuh-uh-uh, I’m not having anything of that bullshit. Shiro told me that you bottle everything up, and it’s obvious that you are pretty damn not alright, so spill the beans. Also, rude that they leave you alone like that.”

“I, uh, thanks.” Keira continued staring at her empty glass, tracing the rim with her finger.

“Now tell me what is wrong.”

“Do I really have to? It’s terribly stupid.”

“It’s okay to feel upset about it, though.” Lacie slit back into the booth next to Keira. “And it’s still important to talk about it and not bottle it up. Because you will end up getting pissy at me for whatever reason if you don’t.”

“I don’t– Okay, I’m sorry if I get angry at you. I’m not exactly … used to talk to people that I don’t know very well. That’s … kinda my excuse.” Keira shortly looked up and was surprised to see Lacie with an understanding look in her eyes. Her heart was fluttering wildly in her chest. Was she really apologising? Was that how you did this kind of thing?

“You are not biting off my head. Wow.”

Keira felt terrible that this had to blow Lacie’s mind like that.

“Yes. I don’t.”

And maybe that fact made her giddy in some way, because she did the right thing for once. She didn’t come off as hostile or something like that. And Lacie appreciated it. This was a good thing, right?

“Care for a dance? To take your mind off of … whatever?” Lacie nudged her playfully, with a soft smile on her lips. If she leaned in just a few centimetres, she could – but Lacie was already slipping out of the booth, offering her hand, and Keira just stared for a few seconds, perplex.

She wasn’t sure if it was because she literally almost craved in and kissed Lacie, or because she was offered a dance, because this shit never happened to her. She was the exception of the rule.

“I’m terrible at dancing,” she offered weakly, and she was glad that Lacie seemed to ignore that.

“I can show you, it really isn’t that difficult.” She smiled encouragingly at Keira, and Jesus, she was so weak for this girl in front of her.

“Okay.”

Reluctantly, she took her hand and stumbled out of the booth, letting herself being dragged towards the dance floor and the giant moving mass of grinding people. It was even louder there, and warmer, and so sweaty, but there was Lacie just in front of her, so so close and so very real that she didn’t really mind.

Lacie leaned towards her, brushing her cheek with her own as she tried to talk into her ear.

“Just put your arms around me, I’ll do the rest.”

Was this really happening? Keira’s heart beat impossibly fast.

However, she was too slow in her reaction since Lacie already took her wrists and laid them around her neck, her own hands resting on Keira’s waist. Keira could feel the soft hair in Lacie’s nape, softer than she expected it to be. She really wanted to run her fingers through her pixie-cut.

Lacie’s hands slipped down a little further, eventually resting on her hips like when she tried to show her how to move in heels. Keira let out a soft gasp. How could this little fuck her up so much already? She basically was butter in Lacie’s hands.

“Move,” Lacie mouthed at her because talking was now nearly impossible, and Keira let herself be guided through the movement, amazed how she could come this far and not quite believing her luck.

Lacie pulled them closer together, slipping one of her thighs between Keira’s, and Keira probably never felt this hot in her life because _holy fuck_. She pulled Lacie further down so she could comb her fingers through her hair properly, their foreheads bumping together, hot breath mingling with hers. It really was easy as soon as she could let her instincts take the lead, playing out all her fantasies and wishes in her mind barely even compared. Lacie made it unexpectedly easy. Her dark blue eyes were perfect to linger in, they stared back at her with the same want she was feeling deep in her bones like a cracking fire, that made her cling more and more to the other girl’s body. The beat of the music didn’t even matter anymore, if it ever had, she let Lacie guide their timing and direction as she was busy drinking up the sensation of the girl of her dreams basically millimetres away from her. She saw Lacie’s eyes flicker downwards for just a second, their chests brushing, and Keira was so high on endorphins and what she guessed was also a big portion adrenalin, alcohol, and arousal, that her own eyes glanced at Lacie’s lips only to look up to her eyes again, questioning. Lacie’s answer was quick, and Keira felt like she was defying gravity. The other girl pressed her own lips on hers, heatedly, hungrily, as though she had been wandering the desert for days and Keira was the only water for miles and miles to come.

This was so silly, she was kissing her crush, this actually happened and it sounded like it was right from a stupid romance novel, but there she was and couldn’t really suppress a giddy grin. She wanted to suck everything in, every little touch, every gasp for air, every press of Lacie’s fingers against her body because she was so, so weak for her.

She felt Lacie suck at her lower lip, licking at it to open her mouth further, and she was sure her panties were a terrible mess right now but somehow that made it feel even better and more intense. Lacie slipped her tongue into her mouth, toying with her gently, teasing her to comply, and she was more than willing to.

They had to break the kiss to breathe for once and Keira just realised how she’d never done anything of this.

“I’m a terrible kisser,” she whispered against Lacie’s lips before she got pulled back in.

“No, definitely not,” Lacie replied, sucking at her lips again, and Keira almost lost balance if Lacie didn’t have such a tight hold on her. Lacie grinned into the kiss like the cat that got the cream, and somehow it startled Keira into breaking the kiss again.

She looked her up and down almost desperately, willing herself not to press up against Lacie in every way possible, but instead letting her head clear a bit from the ecstasy.

“I like you. So fucking much.”

“Okay?”

“And I don’t want to stay in this bar any second longer.”

“Okay.” Lacie looked at her, probably trying to piece everything together after the hormone high, and _gosh_ , the kiss-swollen lips were a good look on her. Keira dragged her off the dance floor towards their booth to quickly grab her jacket, and they left without thinking much. Keira wanted to head home, but Lacie tugged at her hand, and she stood still.

“My place is much closer.”

“Okay.”

Lacie pulled her in more for a brief and somewhat sweet kiss that set loose a million of butterflies in Keira’s chest. They walked to Lacie’s apartment, which was admittedly only two blocks or so away, kind of odd that she wanted to sleep over at theirs in first place but if she was honest, Keira didn’t really care. As soon as the front door was unlocked, they crashed back together like hormonal teenagers, and somehow they stumbled up the few flights of stairs without breaking their legs. Keira was impatient as Lacie struggled to unlock the apartment door, but eventually it gave in and they pushed each other into the hallway, letting the door fall shut as Keira pressed Lacie against it.

She was actually doing this, however crazy this might have sounded.

“Lacie? Is that you?”

They were just trying to remove their shoes without having to break apart, just as a big girl stuck her head through what was presumably the kitchen door into the hallway. Lacie froze.

“Oh my gosh, Hunk I’m so sorry, I entirely forgot, we will leave immediately –” Lacie was rambling, letting go of Keira while simultaneously grabbing for another pair of shoes that weren’t heels – _oh yeah, right, they were at Lacie’s home, she could actually just do this._ It registered to Keira much more slowly than she would’ve liked.

“Oh, hey you two!”

Another girl that was just as big but probably much buffer than the first one, Hunk apparently, came up behind Hunk. She looked really, really sweet, with soft eyes and a gentle smile. It kind of cleansed Keira from her heated spell that Lacie had put her under.

“Uh huh, hey,” she said awkwardly, imitating Lacie and grabbing for her shoes but unfortunately not having the choice to take sneakers.

“I’ll text you before I’m coming home, I promise! Have a good, undisturbed night, you two!” Lacie said hurriedly before pushing Keira out of the door with her.

“That was … awkward,” she stated as she leaned against the now again closed door and apparently making a point not looking at Keira.

“Uh, yeah. Were these your … flatmates?”

“Hunk, yes, Shay, no, she’s Hunk’s girlfriend-to-be. Well, if tonight works out, of course.”

Keira nodded.

“Do we wanna call a cab?” she asked just to think about something else, “It’s quite a distance to walk, at least in my shoes.”

“I could give you a piggyback-ride,” Lacie offered with a lopsided grin.

“I’m probably too heavy.” Keira rolled her eyes.

“You wanna bet, Kogane?”

“Bring it on, McClain.”

 

Lacie actually gave her a piggyback-ride, even if she only lasted for half the way, but it was enough so Keira wouldn’t be dying of blisters. She really had underestimated the strength of the swimmer girl. They casually walked the rest of it in the warm summer night, conversation flowing easily now that all the tension was gone and things made a lot more sense.

“So you only went with us because Hunk was having a date?” Somehow, it still sounded so silly to Keira. A silly, silly coincidence.

“Technically, yes.”

“Al said you were practically begging to come, and made it look like it was because of me.”

“It’s half the truth. I did beg, yes, but I really didn’t know you’d be coming, too. I didn’t even know you’d be there in first place, or, like, actually know any of the two.”

“I figured. You looked very shocked when I opened the door.” Keira wasn’t sure if she really wanted to have this kind of conversation right now, and yet she was dying to know how Lacie was thinking about her. She apparently found her very kissable, but that didn’t exactly mean that she reciprocated her feelings at all. The tension between them just got an outlet. And yet, Keira was terribly scared of the answer.

“I have never seen you in make-up before, that was quite an experience.”

“Does it look that bad? I swear, this eyeliner took me like three hours alone.”

“No no! It looks … good on you. It’s just unusual. I needed some time to process that.”

“Okay.”

“And the catsuit. I suddenly could relate to Danny Zuko a lot.”

Keira’s eyebrows crinkled at that.

“Danny … who?”

Lacie had an oddly fond, private smile on her lips, and Keira’s heart was fluttering again like crazy.

“Never mind,” Lacie said. Keira felt how their hands briefly brushed together, and she wondered how it would feel like to actually hold the very real hand of Lacie McClain, just like that, like it was a normal thing to do.

“So, you like me?” Lacie briefly looked at her and then immediately stared holes into her feet. Keira’s guts twisted. This wasn’t in the heat of the moment, this was a level-headed conversation on a well-tempered evening with the after-effects of alcohol wearing off.

“Yes,” Keira breathed more than said, not sure where to look at herself.

“Okay. That’s cool. Cool cool.” Lacie seemed horribly nervous, and Keira wasn’t sure what to make of it. Somehow, she felt disappointment form in her guts.

“I’m sorry if this isn’t what you wanted.” Keira bit her lip.

“No, it’s – it’s okay. Just a lot for one night. My brain has a lot to process. It’s a bit … no, _very_ unexpected.”

“It is?” Keira was surprised at that, observing every tiny bit of Lacie to find a hit at what she actually meant by that. Usually the girl loved to bask in the spotlight of admiration.

“I mean have you looked at yourself? It makes absolutely zero sense that a ten, no wait, twelve is into a maybe eight on a good day with filter.”

“You – what?” Keira was absolutely lost at what Lacie was trying to say.

“You know, the scale to determine how hot people–”

“I _know_ what a ten is, dumbass. Just what the hell are you talking about?!” _Why did Lacie make her always so angry?_

“You are fucking Keira Kogane!”

“So what? How am I so different to anyone else?” It was slowly fucking with her mind, she wanted so desperately to understand, and then there was the underlying fear of not being good enough, because Lacie deserved someone better, someone less awkward and angry and so desperate for her attention, someone she could feel at ease with and not pay attention to not tipping over the vessel full of bottled-up feelings. Keira knew she had a lot of baggage, and nobody really wanted her to unpack. Why should Lacie be different.

“Why would someone like you be interested in me? I’m terribly boring and make stupid jokes to cover up how mediocre I actually am, I’m not brilliant, I’m not clever, just mediocre. I’m skinny as heck, basically a noodle, are you really into that? I had my last boyfriend basically because I was easy and would flirt with any guy within ten miles.”

“But is that so terrible?”

“You are saying that word a lot tonight.”

Keira shrugged.

“I just like you. Quite a lot. There doesn’t need to be a reason, that’s not how it works.” She fiddled with the zipper of her jacket. “Just. Do you like me?” _At least a little bit?_ her eyes were trying to ask, but she couldn’t bear if the answer was yes only to the latter part.

“I think terribly so.”

Before Keira could do as much as blink, Lacie was directly in front of her, only a breath apart. She cradled her head in her hands tenderly, her fingers grazing the skin behind Keira’s ears and sending shivers down her spine. Keira wasn’t sure if her brain would ever work properly again.

“You are driving me crazy, I can barely stop thinking about you all the time and it’s stupid that I only just realised why–”

Keira drove forward, crushing their lips together because this closeness was making her feel so dizzy and light-headed. She now was pretty much the same size as Lacie was lacking her high heels, and Keira noted to wear heels more often, simply for the height advantage. She sucked up the delicious moan escaping Lacie because she was doing this to her. _Lacie liked her. She liked kissing her. What a happy coincidence._

They lost a little of balance and ended up against a wall, Keira’s mind reeling from everything and endorphins so she had to giggle into the kiss. She had always scoffed at descriptions of kisses where the protagonist had to laugh out of happiness, but really, it didn’t feel not even the littlest bit awkward. She just was horribly excited.

“You know, you’re really cute when you laugh. It’s like you have an extra cute version of yourself.”

“Oh my god, McClain, I want a divorce. Right now.”

“Does that mean I get to marry you first? You are planning far ahead, Kogane.” Lacie’s eyebrow-waggle was the deal-breaker and Keira had to laugh fully against her – _what were they now? Girlfriends?_ That thought alone made her flush the reddest she had been for probably decades.

“Why do I even like you, you’re so cheesy.” Keira had to chuckle again because _gosh_ , she really, really loved her a lot.

“I know you love that about me.”

Keira really wanted to kiss that smug grin off Lacie’s face, and then she remembered, actually, she could pretty much do that just now, so she did. Lacie didn’t seem to be bothered by that anyway.

“Hey, so, we probably should get to your place?” Lacie mumbled between a couple of brief kisses, “It’s getting a bit chilly, you know?”

Keira looked at her perplex.

“Uh, yes, sure.” Then, after a second thought, “Do you want my jacket?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what is me doing
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! also, remember kiddos that communication is very important in every relationship! as is respecting each other's boundaries! (the girls are working on that)

**Author's Note:**

> If you need to procrastinate a really really important uni work, why not get back to writing fic after, like. A year. Uh.  
> I didn't expect my first klance fic to be femslash but hey! better than nothing.
> 
> Alternate Ending is [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11590536/chapters/26427690) (last chapter) if you are not so much into slow-burn.


End file.
